Regional geopolitics

[armnuke]

Re: Regional geopolitics

No special need for Russian permanent military base in Syria — ambassador

Russian Ambassador to Syria, Alexander Kinshchak told reporters on Thursday that there is no great need for a permanent Russian military base in Syria, and that the corresponding issue will be determined by the decision of the Russian Ministry of Defense depending on the country’s military-political situation.

“The question of how much we need it there will be decided in accordance with the military-political developments in Syria and around it,” he said. “In the view of the Defense Ministry, there is no great military need to have an additional airfield there.”

Kinshchak added that the necessary military tasks might as well be fulfilled from Russia’s territory.

http://echelon-defense.com/2016/07/07/no-special-need-for-russian-permanent-military-base-in-syria-ambassador/

[Azad]

Re: Regional geopolitics

Greece: - Debt to GDP ratio = 175%
- Total debt = 422 billion Euros

Lebanon: - Debt to GDP ratio = 132%
- Total debt around $70 billion

Armenia: - Dent to GDP ratio = 45%
- Total debt around $5 billion

The type of debt is also important. You can't compare Armenia's relatively low interest/long maturity debt with that of Lebanon's.
Greece & Lebanon have been ruined by debt, that's true. But Armenia's case is different.

Agree that some debt is important, reason why I did not lump Armenia with Greece and Lebanon. As long it stays to some debt and does not head towards more debts.

[Hakob]

Re: Regional geopolitics

Greece: - Debt to GDP ratio = 175%
- Total debt = 422 billion Euros

Lebanon: - Debt to GDP ratio = 132%
- Total debt around $70 billion

Armenia: - Dent to GDP ratio = 45%
- Total debt around $5 billion

The type of debt is also important. You can't compare Armenia's relatively low interest/long maturity debt with that of Lebanon's.
Greece & Lebanon have been ruined by debt, that's true. But Armenia's case is different.

i am worried with even 45% dept to GDP ratio for Armenia because number one, it is only 25 years old history and number two is high level of corruption.
I don't see any difference between Greek, Lebanese and our economies and people. On the contrary, we do not have their tourism and sea outlets.
So if Armenia's citizens do not stay informed and pressure the government for accountability, very quickly Armenia can end up in a worse spot than those countries.
We know what kind of rats are worming themselfs up in government positions in Yerevan. If unchecked, they will suck the life out of country.
The leach is a leach. It does only what it's genetically programmed. It is our fault for letting them stay stuck on our skin.

[Azad]

Re: Regional geopolitics

i am worried with even 45% dept to GDP ratio for Armenia because number one, it is only 25 years old history and number two is high level of corruption.
I don't see any difference between Greek, Lebanese and our economies and people. On the contrary, we do not have their tourism and sea outlets.
So if Armenia's citizens do not stay informed and pressure the government for accountability, very quickly Armenia can end up in a worse spot than those countries.
We know what kind of rats are worming themselfs up in government positions in Yerevan. If unchecked, they will suck the life out of country.
The leach is a leach. It does only what it's genetically programmed. It is our fault for letting them stay stuck on our skin.

Armenia should stay away from the likes of International Monetary Fund, World Bank. Most are money making machines from thin air, shifting capitals and resources to a well organized Western institutions. They are the real leaches.
As far Armenia, we should be very careful with our natural resources (mining, water) so the leaches on both ends (internal and external) do not destroy the country and turn its people to a perpetual modern slavery.
The best way to handle the internal leaches is to constantly expose their assets to the general public with public shaming with the hopes the newer generation will get the message of what is right and what is wrong.
Also, the “debt importance” works for larger countries with Developed Markets, it doesn’t do much for smaller economies.

[Artashes]

Re: Regional geopolitics

Armenia should stay away from the likes of International Monetary Fund, World Bank. Most are money making machines from thin air, shifting capitals and resources to a well organized Western institutions. They are the real leaches.
As far Armenia, we should be very careful with our natural resources (mining, water) so the leaches on both ends (internal and external) do not destroy the country and turn its people to a perpetual modern slavery.
The best way to handle the internal leaches is to constantly expose their assets to the general public with public shaming with the hopes the newer generation will get the message of what is right and what is wrong.
Also, the “debt importance” works for larger countries with Developed Markets, it doesn’t do much for smaller economies.

Comments on the IMF, world bank and their ilk are spot on. These are incidious world leaches and connivers.
We need to seek other solutions outside of these "traditional" thieving scams.

[Hakob]

Re: Regional geopolitics

Comments on the IMF, world bank and their ilk are spot on. These are incidious world leaches and connivers.
We need to seek other solutions outside of these "traditional" thieving scams.

The other solution is to block and kill government corruption, stop oligarlh's from taking money out and let communities in Armenia to govern themselfs. Is it possible?
Even 45% of GDP as dept is too much. Armenia does not have any resource to pay any substantial dept.

[Haykakan]

Re: Regional geopolitics

Forecast: Seven-month Russian-Turkish confrontation will seem like
small potatoes as compared to what is expected

by David Stepanyan

Thursday, July 7, 17:30

The seven-month Russian-Turkish confrontation will seem like small
potatoes as compared to what is expected, ex-foreign minister of the
NKR, independent analyst Arman Melikyan has told ArmInfo.

"Over the past 7 months of Russian-Turkish confrontation, its
participants applied only part of their political, military, economic
and psychological arsenal, and suffered certain losses. In fact,
however, the worst is ahead, because the temporary calm in the
confrontation is necessary for the sides to re-deploy their forces. I
think the ongoing external processes will only aggravate the
discrepancies between Moscow and Ankara," the analyst says.

Melikyan thinks the Brexit is the pledge of creation of a new
political reality. He points out that the pause in the Russian-Turkish
confrontation is determined by the Brexit results. He thinks Moscow
wanted to demonstrate to Brussels the ability to compensate for the
upcoming absence of Great Britain.

The analyst believes that the EU will face a serious internal crisis
without Great Britain. This will disperse Moscow's hope to create a
Moscow-Berlin-Paris geopolitical axis and this, in turn, can become a
factor of a more serious confrontation between Ankara and Moscow.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.arminfo.am_index.cfm-3Fobjectid-3D893D35D0-2D443E-2D11E6-2D9B2B0EB7C0D21663&d=DQIBaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=hdwZ58KbATch1-ty1ASGMpET5S4MMUJX_U9GA3DaE2M&s=8KXR5gsby8CsrA9fhbL9CSKDeMlVEnXPCzDn00yC4YY&e=

[Haykakan]

Re: Regional geopolitics

Jewish News Service

July 6 2016








Why Karabakh matters to Azerbaijanis


Posted on July 6, 2016





By Diana Cohen Altman/JNS.org

Azerbaijan. So in following the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, you have been asked to pay attention to that little country on the Caspian Sea. An ancient and comfortable Jewish community, a vital partner of Israel, a key strategic ally of the United States—these are all good reasons to pay attention. But the shining gem that awaits you in your odyssey is Karabakh itself, the cultural treasure trove at the heart of Azerbaijan.

No discussion of ethnic friction, historic machinations, or political imperatives adequately conveys why Azerbaijanis carry banners for Karabakh. Their passion emerges, rather, in discussions of culture-based and not conflict-based diplomacy.

Town names such as Shusha and Aghdam evoke for many Azerbaijanis personal memories of deep family roots tied to a land boasting profound, uniquely Azerbaijani cultural accomplishments.

Do you know what mugham is? (UNESCO does—it lists mugham, a classical music form, as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.) Have you heard of the 19th-century female poet Khurshidbanu Natavan? A beloved lyrical poet, she was also a prominent social activist who solved a serious water problem for the townspeople of Shusha.

Who was Uzeyir Hajibeyov, and how is the spirit of Karabakh embedded in his music for today’s Azerbaijani national anthem? Born in Shusha, Hajibeyov kept Azerbaijani music alive in the 20th century by blending Azerbaijani and Western classical music in keeping with the political climate producing sheet music, and preparing a next generation of Azerbaijani musicians and musical teachers.

Actual Karabakh culture has been defaced, destroyed, repurposed, and/or spirited away as victims of war. Damage and neglect of Azerbaijani cultural and religious sites are particular sources of anger for Azerbaijanis. Social scientists speculate not only on the destruction of property, but on the uprooting of tradition.

Walk down the street in Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku and you find handmade symbols of Karabakh culture, such as statues of minstrel-like artists called ashiqs selling at small shops. In carpet stores you see how the much prized Karabakh carpet tradition has been preserved as elements in the overall prized Azerbaijani carpet portfolio. Internally Displaced Persons (hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis are displaced from Karabakh) share their memories—oral artifacts—in public parks.

Azerbaijan does amazing things to preserve its culture. The national music museum in Baku boasts a public-access band that plays traditional instruments. The national history museum exhibits cultural artifacts and stories in richly layered historic contexts.

The city of Baku is alive not only with dramatic new buildings (so often referenced by the Western media as a trope), but with performances of national heritage from puppetry to dance to opera. The modern carpet museum, in the shape of an unfolding carpet, welcomes visitors into a dazzling world wrought by Azerbaijani hands.

How does culture matter in the move toward finally solving the Nagorno-Karabakh situation? Well, cultural diplomacy facilitates the work of conflict-based diplomacy. That is, spotlighting culture redirects attention to what is truly at the heart of any conflict—the people.

Armenian culture has been celebrated in the U.S. for a long time, in part due to a committed, active Armenian diaspora here. Those representations have helped Armenians convey their thoughts on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Azerbaijanis, newer to America, have made less of a mark in sharing their cultural heritage.

Even the most avid and astute U.S. museum-goer would have trouble piecing together the rich culture of Karabakh/Azerbaijani culture. “Possibly Caucasus” is perhaps the most pointed attribution available in museums and showrooms. The naming problem, being addressed by a few experts, is a byproduct of tumultuous history and provenance, and of language barriers.

English-speaking cultural enthusiasts can rejoice that Azerbaijani culture is reaching our shores. “Music of Azerbaijan: From Mugham to Opera,” a 2016 book by Azerbaijani-born professor Dr. Aida Huseynova at Indiana University’s famed Jacobs School of Music, is one sign of change. The book makes the complexities and joys of Azerbaijani music accessible to Westerners. Similarly, Feride Buyuran’s 2015 book “Pomegranates and Saffron: A Culinary Journey to Azerbaijan” has enjoyed wild success and demand for more on the topic. The Karabakh Foundation’s evolving website (www.AzerbaijaniArtifacts.com) offers the first-ever online comprehensive overview of this magnificent culture.

In exploring Azerbaijani/Karabakh culture, we understand why Karabakh is more than a piece of land smack in the middle of Azerbaijan. But we expand our appreciation of world culture, on which it has had a surprising impact.

So look beyond the shallow, context-free discussions of Karabakh in much of the media. Explore—and reach out for conversations with Azerbaijanis that welcome you to Karabakh. You will be glad you did.

Diana Cohen Altman is executive director of the Karabakh Foundation, which since 2010 has focused on introducing the world to Azerbaijani culture. A former museum director, she writes extensively about cultural topics.

http://www.jns.org/latest-articles/2016/7/6/why-karabakh-matters-to-azerbaijanis#.V33GxpVTHmI=

[Vrej1915]

Re: Regional geopolitics

Թող Պուտինը որոշի Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի հարցը. Ժիրինովսկի

2016-07-08

newspress.am-ը գրում է. «Ռուսաստանն ու Թուրքիան, միավորելով իրենց առևտրական, տնտեսական և ռազմական ջանքերը, ունակ են լուծելու ղարաբաղյան հակամարտությունը, ինչպես նաև քրդական հարցը»,- նախօրեին ադրբեջանական «Լիդեր TV» հեռուստաալիքին տված հարցազրույցում ասել է ՌԼԴԿ առաջնորդ Վլադիմիր Ժիրինովսկին:

«Եթե Թուրքիան զարգացնի հարաբերությունները Ռուսաստանի հետ, ապա դա հավերժ է: Տնտեսական, ինչպես նաև առևտրական և արդյունաբերական առումներով` միայն պլյուսներ են, ոչ մի մինուս: Մենք հյուսիս ենք, նրանք` հարավ: Մենք պատրաստ ենք նրանցից ամեն ինչ վերցնել, այն, ինչ արտադրում է հարավային երկրի տնտեսությունը` ներառյալ ծովերն ու լողափերը և տալ այն ամենը, ինչ պետք է հյուսիսային երկրից, որը հանդիսանում է աշխարհի 10 ամենազարգացած երկրներից մեկը: Մեզ այսօր թուրքերն ավելի լավ են վերաբերվում, քան լեհերը, ֆինները և նույնիսկ քան Ուկրաինայում: Ոչ մի հակառուսական ակցիա Թուրքիայում գործնականում չի լինում: Մենք հետևություն ենք անում այն իրականությունից, որ Թուրքիայի մեծ թվով բնակիչներ շատ լավ են վերաբերվում Ռուսաստանին: Քանի որ նրանք առևտուր են անում, զբոսաշրջիկների են ընդունում, նրանք օգուտ են տեսնում Թուրքիայի հետ հարաբերություններում: Իսկ Սիրիան պատերազմ է: Եվրամիությունը նվաստացումներ, վիրավորանքներ ու քննադատություն է հղում Թուրքիայի հասցեին: Դրա համար Թուրքիան հիանալի առիթ ունի Ռուսաստանի հետ հարաբերությունները զարգացնելու համար»,- վստահ է քաղաքական գործիչը:

«Եթե Թուրքիան ու Ռուսաստանը միավորեն իրենց առևտրական, տնտեսական և ռազմական ջանքերը, ապա և′ քրդական, և′ հայկական հարցերն իրենք իրենց կվերանան: Եվ ինքն իրեն կվերանա Ղարաբաղյան հարցը, և Ադրբեջանը գոհ կլինի, այսինքն` ամբողջ Կովկասի և Մերձավոր Արևելքի հեռանկարները հիանալի կլինեն»,- նշել է Վլադիմիր Ժիրինովսկին:

Պատասխանելով այն հարցին, թե ինչպիսի լուծում է տեսնում ղարաբաղյան հարցի վերաբերյալ, ՌԼԴԿ առաջնորդն ընդգծել է. «Մենք այստեղ չենք կարող որոշել, թող դա Կրեմլը որոշի, մեր նախագահը: Բայց կարելի է ինչ-որ կարգավիճակ գտնել Լեռնային ղարաբաղի համար, որպեսզի և′ հայերը գոհ մնան, և′ ադրբեջանցիները: Այսինքն` գտնել այնպիսի տարբերակ, որ ոչ մեկը մյուսից պահանջներ չունենա, կախված չլինի մյուսից, ինչպես ասում են ազատ քաղաքական զոնա լինի: Լինի ազատ` ինչպես Կոնստանտինոպոլը կամ Դանցիգը: Գտնել այնպիսի տարբերակ, որ և գայլերը կուշտ մնան, և գառները` ողջ:

[Azad]

Re: Regional geopolitics

This will disperse Moscow's hope to create a
Moscow-Berlin-Paris geopolitical axis and this, in turn, can become a
factor of a more serious confrontation between Ankara and Moscow.

I was thinking in the same line before reading this article. I know Paris will be in, Berlin might take some convincing to do.
If this equation does take some shape, it would weaken NATO in the Northern EU hemisphere and most likely will push NATO into the older Eastern block (if any takers) and turkey.